A Portugal-based Nigerian table tennis player, Offiong Edem, last Monday urged sports authorities and corporate organisations in Nigeria to provide financial support to athletes participating in major international competitions.
Edem, an Olympian, made the plea in an interview with newsmen in Lagos against the backdrop of some athletes’ inability to sponsor themselves to competitions.
Tidesports source reports that Edem, an indigene of Cross River, ruled the Nigerian table tennis women’s singles for 14 years and has been an African champion for six years.
Edem, who featured in the 2004 and 2012 Olympics, has an astonishing five gold medals in All Africa Games and a silver under her belt.
She had reached the quarter-finals of the Commonwealth Games.
Edem urged sports authorities to make adequate arrangement for all the athletes participating in the national assignments.
“The attitude of our sports authorities to the athletes, especially when it comes to travelling arrangements, was not encouraging.
“Every budget approved by the sports ministry for the athletes’ participation in international competitions must be backed up with immediate release of fund to motivate them.
“Nigeria is a force to reckon with in the continental and intercontinental competitions, even spectators look out for us; therefore, our government must improve on this issue of funding.
“Some foreign-based athletes can afford to sponsor themselves to international tournaments, which may not be convenient for national athletes that rely on the government,’’ she said.
The Olympian also called on table tennis fans to contribute their quotas to the building of upcoming players who could not afford the basic training materials.
Edem said that she took advantage of her off-season from her club to visit Nigeria and to train with the budding players so as to encourage them and donate equipment to support their careers.
“I always prepare myself to put smiles on the faces of our upcoming players. The kits I distributed to them may be small, but the gesture goes a long way.
“Some young players come to the stadium to train without kits; among them are the players who will replace the ageing ones in the nearest future.
“So, we need to help them in our little way by making bats, balls, jersey and canvass shoes available in the designated centres, where they can access them for their,’’ she said.